Tearfund

Tearfund Sunday Service

Our Tear Fund Sunday Service was on Sunday 20th September 2015.

As a church we support the work of Tearfund both corporately and as individuals. We believe in the partnership of churches working together to make a difference in our world, rooted in the word of God, bringing hope in seemingly hopeless situations. This year we reflected on the roots of poverty, how is it that in today’s culture and society we still find such desperate need.

As a whole church family we explored this through ‘The Theory of Poverty’ video which reinforced the idea that if we work together, holding one another to account and striving together to make a difference – poverty can be overcome.

We also reflected how we need to consider how our own actions and attitudes can contribute to ongoing poverty – that every small action and judgement can have an affect on our neighbours, either for good or ill. See the following videos

The caterpillar effect video below talks about the fact that we live in Cocoons of our own making but the world around us is screaming for some kind of change. Tearfund Youth & Emerging Generation challenges us to see beyond the comfort that we sought in order to make a difference.

This was a challenge to us – how can we seek to transform our communities here in Warrington and bring that light of Christ to those close to us who are struggling with poverty and hopelessness.

All our offerings today will go to support the work of TEAR Fund. Gifts of food will be given to Warrington Foodbank.

About Tearfund

Tearfund was established on 29 May 1968 with the aim of combining Christian compassion with practical action.

Spiritual Passion

Tearfund are Christians committed to following Jesus where the need is greatest. God has called Tearfund to serve those living in poverty, regardless of race, gender, nationality or religious belief. They long for new life and a new sense of worth for people. Tearfund work to end poverty and share the gospel which has the power to transform lives and heal communities. Tearfund do this work through local churches, because they’re Jesus’ body on earth, ready to care for the whole person – and the whole community – inside and out.

Professional Excellence

Tearfund are committed to professionalism and are recognised for their expertise in relief, development and advocacy.

They are signatories to the Red Cross Code of Conduct and are certified against the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership Standard, so are accountable for the work they do.

Today Tearfund is among the uk’s top 10 emergency relief agencies, commanding a respected reputation built on good practice and years of experience helping people in some of the world’s most challenging places.

God’s direction over Tearfund’s development can be seen not only in the provision of income and leaders with the right qualities at the right times, but also the new ways in which it’s responded to injustice over the years.

Speaking out and campaigning earns Tearfund a reputation for being a voice for the voiceless, here mobilising supporters about developing countries’ debt in 2000. This is followed by Make Poverty History in 2005 and the If campaign in 2013.

In the last five years, 15 million people’s lives have been transformed, 67,000 churches have been envisioned, six million people supported following disasters and 100 policies at local, national and international level have been changed.

Tearfund’s are driven by the unending compassion of Jesus, determined to bring life in all its fullness to people in the most extreme poverty.

Previous Tear Fund Sundays

Last year Our Tear Fund Sunday on September 2014. It focused on Tearfund’s campaign to stop child trafficing called ‘No Child Taken’

Trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the world, ravaging the lives of 1.2 million children across the world every year. That number is set to rise, unless we stop it in its tracks. The good news is: we can.

Watch this film to find out how Christians are turning the tide of trafficking in one Lao village.

You can find out more about their campaign to stop child trafficing by visiting this ‘No Child Taken’ link or to find out more about Tearfunds work visit Tearfund’s website at www.tearfund.org

—————————————————————————————————————–

2013 our Tear Fund Sunday on September 22nd 2013 focused on their work in Cambodia, and featured a short video about a woman called Sina.

Sina

Sina lives with her husband and three sons in Tonle Batie village, Cambodia. Sina’s husband Bora is poorly educated, so there aren’t many options for jobs. At times, he must work away for weeks at a time, leaving Sina and the children alone Sina strives to provide healthy food for her growing boys, but she can’t afford much.

Tearfund Support

With Tearfund’s support the local church in Tonle Batie has started an exciting new project to facilitate villagers to work as a group to identify some of the reasons they’re poor and think of fresh ways to start tackling their poverty. Then, group members start learning new skills, as well as sharing the time and resources they already have, to make these ideas happen. People are already benefiting. For example, people with no land have managed to borrow spare land to start growing vegetables together: a very new way of doing things in Tonle Batie. Others have started a chicken-breeding project, helping increasing numbers of people as more eggs are hatched and shared with others. Like Sina, those involved used to think they had nothing, but now they’re starting to see that they have more than they thought. The church is piloting the project with 21 families, so they can show the wider village and its leaders that this way of beating poverty really works. After that, in the next year, their plan is to roll it out to the rest of the village. But to expand successfully, projects like this need long-term committed support – both prayers and finances.

For more information about Sina click here or for information about Tearfund, or to support Tearfunds work please visit the Tearfund website www.tearfund.org

Tearfund

What is Christianity?

Alpha

To find out more....

Safeguarding

Holy Trinity, Warrington takes its duty and obligation to protect all extremely seriously. We have adopted the national Church of England's robust procedures and guidelines. You can find out more about the national policies and procedures at www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding